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Taney, Rebecca
Education 214
Monday October 31, 2016
Assignment #8
Emerging Technology in Education: A New Virtual Reality
Virtual reality generally refers to the computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional
image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person
using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with
sensors ("Virtual Reality | Oxford Dictionaries"). It works by generating realistic images,
sounds and sensations that replicate a real environment or an imaginary setting by enabling one
to interact with the virtual space and any objects depicted within. I decided upon researching
virtual reality as an emerging technology in the classroom because I find such technology
fascinating and I believe that it has the potential to benefit education as a whole. Many educators
have adapted creative ways in which to use virtual reality to immerse their students in the subject
matters being taught. Students have the ability to interact with mathematical problems,
geographical maps, and virtual tours of place from both history and modern eras.
One of the primary benefits of using virtual reality technology is as a tool for social
adaptation and engagement in the classroom. In an article by Horace Ip et al, virtual reality
technology was used to help enable children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to improve
their social adaptation in the elementary level. Ip and his associates have designed and
implemented six unique training scenarios that resulted in students showing significant
improvements in three major designated aspects, including emotion recognition, affective
expression and social reciprocity (Ip, et al., 2016). By allowing students to interact in a safe
virtual environment, alongside peer-to-peer interaction, seems to provide students with more
confidence in themselves and how they may react in different social circumstances.

Taney, Rebecca
Education 214
Monday October 31, 2016
Assignment #8
Featured in a different article by Pigatt and Braman, one community college approached
a diversity course using virtual reality to increase student engagement. They incorporated a
program called Second Life that provided an immersive 3D experience filled rich content and
interactivity. While educators usually recreated a 3D model of a tradition classroom using
deliberate planning, testing, and integration with specific content (Pigatt & Braman, 2016),
the platform also provided pre-made content from other uses that one may incorporate into their
own virtual environment. Such virtual platforms allow students to have additional hands-on
opportunities to try new methods of learning and communication. Another article that talked
about virtual reality in education was by Diane Myers at el. It was titled, Using Virtual Reality
to Enhance Instruction in Teacher Education Programs, which encourages the use of virtual
training environments. It gives new teachers a chance to focus exclusively on selected skills...
(Myers, Starrett, Stewart, Hansen-Thomas, 2016) in a semblance of predictability. Skills learned
virtually can then be transferred into traditional classroom environments, special education and
bilingual/ESL settings, and administrative positions.
Together, all these methods of using virtual reality can provide greater opportunities to
practice skills and interactions that might be unattainable in other circumstances. It is my firm
belief that virtual reality can be used to enhance learning experiences throughout all levels of
education. However, I must note that as helpful as virtual reality might be, it is not a replacement
for one-on-one interaction and communication. Teachers must strive to balance technology with
personal time spent with each student. If used carefully, virtual reality may be the next
revolutionary evolution in the education experiences of learning and teaching.

Taney, Rebecca
Education 214
Monday October 31, 2016
Assignment #8
Works Cited
Ip, Horace H. S., Simpson W. L. Wong, Dorothy F. Y. Chan, Julia Byrne, Chen Li,
Vanessa S. N. Yuan, Kate S. Y. Lau, and Joe Y. W. Wong. "Blended Learning: Aligning
Theory with Practices." Lecture Notes in Computer Science 9757 (2016): 94-102.
Springer International Publishing. Web.
Myers, Diane, Teresa Starrett, Mary Amanda Stewart, Holly Hansen-Thomas, and
Texas Womans University. "Using Virtual Reality Technology to Enhance Instruction in
Teacher Education Programs." 4th Annual TeachLivE Conference for 2016 (2016): 5458. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.
Pigatt, Yvonne, and James Braman. "Increasing Student Engagement through Virtual
Worlds." Emerging Tools and Applications of Virtual Reality in Education (2016): 75-94.
Web. 31 Oct. 2016.
"Virtual Reality - Definition of Virtual Reality in English | Oxford Dictionaries." Oxford
Dictionaries. Oxford Dictionaries, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.

Taney, Rebecca
Education 214
Monday October 31, 2016
Assignment #8

Taney, Rebecca
Education 214
Monday October 31, 2016
Assignment #8

I was not able to download, copy & paste, or Print Screen the Ip, Horace H. S., Simpson W. L.
Wong, Dorothy F. Y. Chan, Julia Byrne, Chen Li, Vanessa S. N. Yuan, Kate S. Y. Lau, and Joe
Y. W. Wong. "Blended Learning: Aligning Theory with Practices." Lecture Notes in Computer
Science 9757 (2016): 94-102. Springer International Publishing. Web.